Eleusinian Mystery

She started finding pomegranate seeds at the doorstep, and knew it was time.

On Tuesday, there were six of them, sitting there when Erin came home from work.

On Wednesday, there were five.

She’d been thinking about moving anyway. Surely this was a sign.

Come on, Ash, thought Erin, pacing her living room. Please answer the phone.

“Erin! What’s up, girl.”

Erin could hear Ashley’s baby babbling in the background. “You busy? I can call later.”

“No worries! I’ll put you on speaker while I feed him.”

Spoons clinked against baby food jars. Erin took a breath.

“Ash, I’m kinda spooked. I think Jared’s up to his tricks again.”

“Really? Is he texting you?”

“No. It’s weirder than that. I think he was here, at the house. Twice.” Erin crossed her arms and shivered.

“Did he leave a note or something?”

“No, but I found pomegranate seeds on the front step.”

“Pomegranate seeds?”

“Remember how he was fanatical about Greek mythology? He majored in Classics, before he dropped out…”

“Oh, right...” Ashley’s voice was overrun by a high-pitched squeal from her son.

“He was... kind of obsessed with the story of Hades and Persephone.”

“So he left seeds? Why? As a sign that he wants you back?”

Erin hesitated. “There were six yesterday, and five today. I think he’s… counting down. I think he’s saying he’s coming… to get me.”

“Shit,” said Ash. “And he hasn’t said anything? Hasn’t called?”

“Not for a month. That’s what’s so weird.”

“Did you tell the police?”

Suddenly Erin felt silly. “No. I... what would I say?”

“I would come over, except Mark’s in Japan for two weeks, and…” The baby emitted a sudden, screeching wail.

Erin felt a flush of guilt for dumping all this on Ashley, alone with an infant to take care of. “It’s probably nothing. Just Jared being dramatic.”

“Well, keep me posted, okay?”

#

Jared had worked as a janitor because nobody else would hire him, given his history of angry outbursts at work. He insisted it was his choice, like Matt Damon’s character in Good Will Hunting.

He had issues, Ashley had said. But Erin loved him. He was so smart, so passionate, so misunderstood.

One day Jared lined up six pomegranate seeds on the coffee table. He picked one up and held it out toward Erin. She giggled, catching the mythology reference. Her lips brushed his fingers as he placed the seeds into her mouth, one by one. When they were gone, he grabbed her and threw her to the couch. “You’re my prisoner now,” he murmured between kisses.

Fear was a natural part of desire. Wasn’t it?

#

Thursday, when Erin got home, four seeds lay on the doorstep.

She slammed the door shut, checked the locks, sharpened her largest kitchen knife, and took it to bed with her.

The office closed early on Fridays. As Erin walked up the path to her house, her eyes dropped automatically to the stoop.

It was bare.

Stunned, she went inside, collapsing into her favorite armchair, daring to feel relief.

The doorbell rang. Erin leaped to her feet. Trembling, she tiptoed across the carpet and peeked past the curtain.

A man in a blue Postal Service uniform stood next to a mail cart. Erin exhaled and turned the doorknob.

“Parcel for you, miss!” He held out a cardboard box with a few pieces of junk mail resting on it like a tray.

As Erin took the box, she stared at the object in the man’s other hand.

The snack container’s bright white letters spelled out “POM Wonderful.” Its clear plastic sides revealed heaps of juicy red seeds.

“You… eat those?” Erin stammered idiotically.

He glanced at the container. “Oh, yes! My doctor told me to eat healthy snacks instead of smoking. I haven’t had a cigarette in two years! I buy ’em by the case at Costco. You should try ’em sometime, missy, you’re looking a little pale there.” He reached into the container, chuckling as he knocked several pomegranate seeds over the side. “Slippery little buggers!”

Erin smiled weakly, backed into the house, and shut the door.

The laughter bubbled up from her gut like gas that had been trapped underground. It burst out of her mouth, spurting like an unused tap, then gushing like the River Styx. She collapsed to the floor, laughing until her abdominal muscles ached.

Wiping her eyes, Erin fumbled for her phone.

“Ash? You’re not going to believe this.”

Writing Prompts:

• Occupation: janitor
• Mandatory first sentence: She started finding pomegranate seeds at the doorstep, and knew it was time.